Several education unions led by the Cyprus Turkish Teachers’ Union (KTÖS) and the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS), staged protests in Lefkoşa (Nicosia) against the government’s decision to delay the start of the school year.
KTÖS held its demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy in Lefkoşa (Nicosia). Secretary General Burak Maviş expressed concerns about social will, trust, stability, and potential solutions to recent developments in the country. Maviş criticized the Turkish government, stating that political interventions had left the local government unable to open schools on time.
KTAMS President Güven Bengihan joined the protest, describing the day as a “day of shame.” He accused the government of sacrificing children’s education for the sake of political ambitions, specifically mentioning the UBP congress.
Meanwhile, KTOEÖS staged a separate protest, laying a black wreath in front of the Presidential Campus, Parliament construction site, and the Ministry of National Education. KTOEÖS President Selma Eylem criticized both North Cyprus and Turkish administrators for prioritizing the construction of what she termed a “social complex” over essential public services like schools and hospitals.
Eylem highlighted the unprecedented nature of postponing school openings, attributing it to poor planning. She argued that neither school preparations nor teacher appointments would be completed within the postponed period. The union accused the government of using education as a political tool and prioritizing party congresses over students’ needs.
